It’s no secret that personalised jewellery has become a huge trend over the last few years. But what is it about wearing words that’s so special?
In a world where exploring and expressing our identities online is the norm, it’s no surprise that the desire for namesake items, from Coca Cola bottles to stationary, has risen over the past few years. In fact, recent research found that one in two people now personalise gifts, showing just how important reflecting our personalities has become.
Personalised jewellery in particular has seen a huge boom, and bespoke services and inscriptions – once reserved for those with a big budget or buying for a special occasion – are now available to everyone. You can find or create personalised jewellery everywhere, from high street craft stalls to online boutiques, and what you choose to write is totally up to you.
Every piece of jewellery is personal to the wearer, be it through its history or simply its style, but the option to reflect yourself exactly how you want to is one most of us can’t resist. Psychologist and lecturer Elle Boag believes that this ability to show who we are is what makes personalised jewellery feel so important.
“We are social animals, and personalised jewellery is an extension of our identity, similarly to having our names on books as children. It’s about ownership and clear labelling of who we are. Personalised jewellery is a stable, fixed thing that allows us to identify who we are to others, notifies others that we ‘own’ the object and can be used to celebrate achievements or hold sentimental memories.”
The latter certainly rings true for Tracy Gray, founder of Under The Rose.
“I think that personalised jewellery has become popular because customers want to hold close, or give, things that are special to them or the wearer. They want items that hold memories and evoke emotions,” she says.
Jewellery engraving
This explains why some designers are seeing customers move on from simple inscriptions, such as initials or names, and opt for personal messages, instead. “We’re seeing more people wanting messages or words that are special for them. We also get a lot of dates, nicknames, and things they might say as encouragement,” she says. “All of the backstories are different. We recently helped a lady propose with a men’s morse code bracelet that read ‘marry me’. But we’ve also worked with a lady who wanted to engrave special words to her children after receiving devastating news about her cancer treatment.”
It’s stories like this that highlight how versatile custom jewellery can be, another huge reason it appeals to people. Recent YouGov research discovered that a third of adults see personalisation as ‘the ability to tailor a product to the way we like it’. Pieces can take on any purpose you choose, from brightening everyday life to being passed down through a family in the future. It’s a no-brainer that being able to create your dream jewel, rather than scouring stores for the next best thing, is an amazing luxury to have at our fingertips.
So, the next time you’re treating yourself to a new gem, don’t just settle for what’s already out there. When it comes to jewellery, you can wear your heart on your sleeve – or neck, for that matter.
